


underwater memories

by oyasumiya



Series: Kingdom of the Ocean [1]
Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, More characters to be added, underwater fantasy au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-29
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-09-29 16:30:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20439065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oyasumiya/pseuds/oyasumiya
Summary: "There are a few secrets I don't really want you to know about, either. The kinds that stay hidden forever, I mean."(A prelude to the "Kingdom of the Ocean" AU, focusing on Rei, Kaoru and the events before the start of the main story.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hello! some of you may know about the "kingdom of the ocean" fantasy au i posted about on twitter, and this is just a reikao-centric prelude to all of it!
> 
> ...i say "just" but it's going to have multiple chapters. hold my beer

“Huh~? Missing, huh…? It’s been a week, so I guess you’re right to get worried.”

It was the usual spot; the usual table in the very house that they’d taken to living in, but somehow the feeling of familiarity had slipped right off them that day.

If he had to guess, it was the one unoccupied seat right at the head of their small table that did it. It left a gap in between the three of them, leaving them awkward and very slightly disjointed, but they couldn’t help but leave the chair alone out of sheer respect.

His fiddling with a scroll between his fingers was interrupted by a snappish voice, one that was tense and rang into the strained air with a jarring tone.

“Will you  _ take it seriously?!  _ He received that shady message right before he disappeared, I  _ bet  _ that has something to do with it, but he’s disappeared into thin air! And you’re here just—”

How yappy. His temper was even worse than usual now...what a pain.

He really wasn’t in the mood to deal with this.

Another voice cut in, and he was able to return to his fidgeting without much fanfare. Thank the heavens for Adonis, honestly. “Oogami, stop it. You know that Tenshouin-senpai’s also out there trying to locate him. Hakaze-senpai can’t do anything...”

“So? He hasn’t gotten anywhere!” Koga had gotten up from his seat, pacing around their living room before settling on kicking the couch with a disgruntled noise—at least it had gotten more than used to Koga’s antics in the past week, the poor thing.

“Besides, while he’s gone, you’re supposed to be in charge, aren’t you? You haven’t done jack  _ shit,  _ asshole! All you’ve been doing is lazing around, and…!”

A sigh escaped his lips before his junior could spew any further. He was  _ hoping  _ against all odds that Koga would take the hint and make the mature choice to shut his mouth, but that thought seemed laughable now.

His chair shifted slightly as he pulled it closer to the table. “Corgi, do me a favour and shut up for a sec, please~?”

“ _ What?!” _

He took advantage of Koga’s momentary silence. “I know you’re upset since your beloved Sakuma-senpai’s missing, but whining won’t solve anything...if anything, Adonis-kun’s right. Our best bet is to wait for Tenshouin-kun to get back to us.”

“You’re all useless.”  _ Another kick.  _ “We’re better off looking for him ourselves...that Tenshouin guy doesn’t have any leads. I’ll go find him  _ myself  _ if I have to—”

“Ah, no, gotta stop you there.” The sentence came out firmer than intended, but it made Koga pause. “Sakuma-san said I had to look after you two if anything happened, remember~? It’d be a pain if you were to get into trouble.”

Adonis cleared his throat, and looked up from his drink. “I agree. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt either, Oogami.”

“Ugh…” The other boy still sounded pissed, but his tone softened a little, which counted as a win. “Whatever. I’m going back to my room.”

The door slammed. He turned to Adonis and shrugged, making a  _ what gives  _ face, and stood up from his chair at well. 

“Well, meeting adjourned, I guess~? Though we didn’t really talk about anything.” He laughed a little, trying to lighten the souring mood. “Thanks for stepping in, Adonis-kun. Check up on Corgi if you can, alright?”

He nodded in resolution. “I will.”

There was another lingering pause as Adonis stood up, and he could feel his junior’s solemn gaze on him for a second longer before he next spoke. “Do you think Sakuma-senpai is...alright?”

...Well. That was certainly the million-dollar question.

_ Was he alright?  _ He was worried too, like the rest of them. Worried that their idiotic unit leader might have gotten up to some trouble, despite his too-perfect ways. But he was the oldest now, amongst what was left of them, and he had to keep it together before they fell apart completely.

Kaoru forced a smile. “It’s Sakuma-san. I’m sure he’s fine.”

* * *

_ I’m sure he’s fine.  _

It was Rei, so he could handle whatever was going on...right?

That was what Eichi had said, anyway. That guy was way too strong for his own good, and he wasn’t some baby—though he certainly did act like one sometimes.

_ If anything happens to me, take care of the kids. Make sure they don’t get hurt. _

Why did it sound strangely ominous now, when Rei was actually gone? He’d just vanished off the face of the earth, and even Eichi’s forces hadn’t been enough to gather any hints over the past week or so.

Really, that guy was a handful. He hadn’t signed up for babysitting duties, of all things.

...though, he just had to make sure Koga and Adonis were okay, right? 

Another sigh. He got up from his bed and pushed open his door hesitantly, surprised to see Koga fuming on the couch and Adonis approaching him with a plate of meat like it was a peace offering.

Strangely, the sight made him crack a smile. They were kind of cute.

“I’m heading out to get some fresh air,” Kaoru waved, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “Don’t go doing anything stupid, okay~? I’d hate to have to answer to Sakuma-san when he gets back.”

He closed the door before they could reply.

Another check-in with Eichi couldn’t hurt, and he’d like to do some investigating of his own…

...away from the prying eyes of his two juniors, at least.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Even though we have you right in your grasp, you’re such a mystery. Is it worth keeping the enigma, right up to the moment of your death?”

“Welcome, Hakaze-sama. You’re here to see Tenshouin-sama today, I presume?”

He shot a smile at the maid who greeted him. Usually, if he’d had a little more drive, he’d dare to say a pickup line or two, perhaps have her fall under his spell, but the circumstances in which he was coming over prevented that. 

“The same as usual,” he nodded back in greeting. Kaoru had gotten familiar with her in all the times he’d visited the Tenshouin residence. “Is he in right now? I don’t mind waiting…”

“Tenshouin-sama’s schedule is currently unbooked. I’ll notify him that you’re here, so please take a seat in the usual room first.” She did a curtsy and hurried away, leaving him to find his way to one of the offices Eichi always reserved when he came over.

It was empty, save for the guard that bowed at him when he entered—how sad, he still wouldn’t wave back or say  _ hello _ —and he sat down in one of the plush chairs, playing with a wisp of his magic as he waited for his friend to arrive.

Several minutes passed, and the creak of the door prompted him to extinguish the tiny sphere of water that he’d been producing from his finger. “Hakaze-kun. Do forgive my lateness.”

“Nah~ I mean, I didn’t schedule anything. I should be thanking  _ you  _ for coming down, don’t you think~?” Kaoru raised his head. “Well, I assume you know why I’m here. Same reason...Corgi and Adonis-kun are getting restless.”

Eichi lowered his head. “I’m sorry. There’s still been no leads, despite all the searching my people have done.”

_ That’s...about expected, but… _

Kaoru sighed. “It’s fine...I guess I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes too up~? Still, you’ve employed some of the best search parties around, so I still find it strange that both you and the Council haven’t been able to find any traces of him.”

“Yes, I’m suspecting something too.” The blonde folded his hands as he spoke. “For someone as well-known as Sakuma-kun, one would have thought that he’d have been spotted right away...but there have been no sightings of him at all. It’s as if he vanished off the face of the earth.”

“And he’s strong. Like,  _ really  _ strong.” He frowned. “Imagining him being taken down by someone is weird too. It makes me think that this is intentional.”

Rei wouldn’t just disappear on them for no good reason...right? As eccentric as the guy was, he was a good leader, and he wouldn’t abandon his team for some trivial issue...there  _ had  _ to be something deeper.

An idea popped into his head. “Hey, what if Sakuma-san’s not fighting back~? Maybe that’s why he’s been able to keep everything under wraps?”

“We  _ could  _ consider that possibility, but that doesn’t change the fact that we can’t get ahold of him. Even the best of magic users wouldn’t be able to outrun so many professionals.” Eichi shook his head. “That’s the thing that has me stuck.”

“Back at square one, huh.” This was becoming more of a pain in the ass. He couldn’t keep UNDEAD running by himself—what was Rei  _ thinking?  _ “Thanks for your hard work, though. You’re doing a lot to help us, even if we used to be enemies.”

His friend gave him a tired, wry smile. “I’m doing my best to atone, Hakaze-kun. Yumenosaki is my treasure, after all—even if Sakuma-kun and I aren’t on the best of terms, the four of you are still affiliated with the guild. I’ll aid you in any way I can.”

“That’s reassuring.” Kaoru returned the smile. “Where has your team searched, anyway? The Council says they haven’t been able to find him in any of the main towns.”

Eichi looked like he was stifling a snort at that, and it made a small laugh bubble in the bottom of his stomach. It didn’t surface; he hadn’t really been able to laugh freely ever since Rei had gone missing. “I may not hold anything personal against our government, but their methods of searching are...inefficient at best. If someone were to go missing, the last place they’d be would be a crowded city.”

“We’re on our wit’s end,” he continued. “We’ve checked the more rural areas, investigated trends of recent disappearances, looked into the patterns of suspicious organizations...nothing useful has come up. Every time we get a lead, it turns out to something unrelated.”   
  


“Man...sounds tough.” Kaoru narrowed his eyes. “Whoever’s behind him going missing—whether it’s someone else or Sakuma-san himself—is pretty smart, I gotta give them that.”

He tried to recount what Eichi had just said. If Rei wasn’t located somewhere convenient, nor was he in some shady-looking place that the human eye could see, then…

_ Wait a minute. _

A sting at the back of his hand brought him back to reality. 

“Hakaze-kun?” Eichi tapped his shoulder, a concerned expression on his face. “You zoned out for a minute there. Are you alright?”

“Huh? Yeah, I’m fine.” He took a sip of tea to collect his thoughts. “I was just thinking of what you said.”

It didn’t look like Eichi had believed him one bit, and he just shook his head. “It’s been hard on you. I’d never have expected you to be doing all this out of your own free will, especially since it’s not your choice.”

“I didn’t come here for pity.” Kaoru forced a laugh to shake the thought off. “I mean, someone’s gotta make sure the kids don’t go getting themselves into any trouble. I’d never hear the end of it if Sakuma-san came back and they’d gotten hurt.”

There was  _ more  _ to that, despite how he tried to convince himself otherwise, but it was a story for another day.

“Besides that,” he smiled, “I think I wanna check something out on my own. Do you think you’d have any transport I could borrow for a bit?”

His hand stung again at that, and he didn’t know whether it was in objection or in assent.

* * *

  
  


“The ‘Island of Junctures?’ There’s nothing but an abandoned observatory there, though...and we didn’t detect anything suspicious going on there. It’s just a small chunk of land with ocean all around.”

“The observatory used to do research on the state of the ocean, but it ended up closing down…” Kaoru shrugged. “But of all places, Tenshouin-san’s army probably hasn’t been able to check the ocean, right?”

Eichi just stared at him. “You think Sakuma-kun is  _ underwater?  _ But what does the island have to do with it…?”

He grinned. “It’s just a hunch, but I doubt that we haven’t been able to find Sakuma-san because your men aren’t good enough. I’m able to breathe underwater, so you wouldn’t need to waste effort on enchantments. The observatory has a library downstairs, and I’d probably be able to find something of use there to guide me.”

His friend looked troubled, even by the explanation. “How would you know that your hunch is right? You seem knowledgeable about this for some reason, but as the leader of Yumenosaki, letting you go by  _ yourself... _ ”

“I’ve come here before. It was pretty long ago, but the inside should still be about the same.” Kaoru waved his hand in a dismissing motion, as if hinting that Eichi shouldn’t press him any further about that topic. “It’ll be fine~ I’m a  _ water  _ user, trust in me a little.” 

Obviously, the persuasion didn’t seem to work on Eichi. “Hakaze-kun, I acknowledge that your skill is commendable, but at least think of bringing a few of my men along.”

“No offense, but as skilled as they are, they wouldn’t be used to it, right? They’d kinda just slow me down.” He shrugged. “I know what I’m doing, Tenshouin-kun~ It’ll be faster this way, won’t it?”

At the other boy’s doubtful look, he just grinned again. “At any rate, tell the kids that I’ll be checking something out on my own. Keep working with them~ Koga-kun may be a little rowdy, but I think Adonis-kun should be able to reel him in a reasonable amount.”

“Hakaze-kun.” 

“I’ll be  _ back.  _ Hopefully, well, with Sakuma-san.” Kaoru flashed a peace sign. “Thanks for sending me all the way out here.”

Eichi narrowed his eyes, and the two of them kept silent for a brief moment. He wouldn’t say it out loud, but the look of barely-masked concern on his friend’s face was refreshing. Almost constipated, maybe?

“I could do so much more,” he finally said. “As Yumenosaki’s governor, I could...threaten to disband or break up your group if you still decided to go underwater. But this is an era of peace.”

Oh, he  _ really  _ liked what Eichi was implying here. “And~?”

“Your accomplishments as a mage in the field of the water element can’t be denied.” Eichi suppressed a sigh. “I won’t tell Otogari-kun and Oogami-kun, if that’s what you wish...please do come back safe.”

Kaoru responded with a cheeky half-salute. “Got it, Emperor-san.”

And, leaving their conversation at that, he opened the door to the observatory.

* * *

  
  


The sound of a door, and the unmistakable click of a light switch being flipped.

“You’re awfully calm about this. It’s almost laughable—we prepare ourselves for a fight, and you allow yourself to be taken just like that?”

He just laughed at that.

“I proposed a deal, did I not? That only I would be involved in this.”

“How admirable. Or should I say foolish?” His captor just tilted his head. “How strangely self-sacrificial of you.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. I don’t think it’s your place to complain, not when your target’s complying so easily…” He held up a hand, observing the glowing crimson mark etched on it. “You’re not suspicious, are you? You  _ did  _ go to all this trouble to prevent me from getting out. I don’t think you need to worry.”

The laugh by the other echoed the one that he’d made just moments ago.

“Even though we have you right in your grasp, you’re such a mystery. Is it worth keeping the enigma, right up to the moment of your death?”

Sakuma Rei just laughed again; a hollow, meaningless sound.   
  


“Where’s the fun if I don’t?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> new chapter! managed to make it,,, at least,,, slightly longer than the last...
> 
> find me on twitter @ikanyaide !!
> 
> also i forgot to attach the carrd for this the last time i posted this so here: https://kingdomoftheocean.carrd.co/


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was a rueful tingling at the back of his hand, like some supernatural entity was telling him that he was about to regret what he was about to do next.
> 
> And, as always, he ignored it.

The observatory was empty, just as he remembered it.

It was so  _ strange,  _ despite the building having been deserted for what must have been years. From the scattered books lying about the office tables to the occasional hum of machines going about their usual business, it almost looked lived in; almost like the researchers were just out for a short coffee break and would be back any moment.

Except that wasn’t true, and no researchers had stepped inside for almost ten years. He was willing to bet that he was the only one crazy enough to even go in, not when it had been abandoned so long ago.

His fingers lingered on a chipped mug next to the sink. He  _ would  _ try to clean up a little, hide away the remnants of the past, but he didn’t really have any time to waste. 

The faster he found Rei, the better.

...Even if he wasn’t quite sure if his unit leader was underwater, it was worth a try. Besides, if Eichi’s team hadn’t been able to find him despite their reputation, then Rei was most likely somewhere else entirely, right?

Kaoru walked past the sink, walked past the uncleaned messes that would stay for a very, very long time. He entered the library without much fanfare, noting how dusty the room was, and arrived at what seemed like a normal corner— 

—before shifting the books aside. He’d like to say that it was something that was done with a practiced hand, but there wasn’t much  _ practice  _ that he could contribute to it, so it was done with the air of someone who’d obviously only gotten this far using his memory.

Just as he remembered, there was a panel installed at the back of the bookshelf. The password was...hang on, he’d seen it being typed in before…

_ 1203?  _ Wrong. He punched in  _ 1103  _ instead, stepping back when it lit up as confirmation. The bookcase shivered, glowed once as if trying to tell something, and made its way to the side, revealing a part of wall that rippled and revealed a hidden door behind.

Steeling himself, he walked in.

Before— _ years ago— _ he’d never been allowed inside the room. The furthest he would have had gotten was staring at the ominous, gaping hole in the wall, listening obediently to the words of  _ wait for me  _ and  _ don’t follow me.  _ Was he  _ really  _ about to break that promise over a fickle clue that might lead him nowhere?

Hey, might as well, right?

The secret room was dark, cold and—he was going to say  _ empty,  _ but it wasn’t. There was a single desk there, with a blinking screen that seemed like it was sitting in the purgatory between life and death, and a solitary bookcase that looked like it contained more dust than actual books.

He sucked in a breath, scanning over the tattered volumes scattered about the shelves, before his eyes landed on a journal that lay on the desk.

Kaoru knew that it was wrong to read someone else’s things without asking, but the situation was kind of dire here. There wasn’t much time to be a “good boy” —and, if it made him feel better, he hadn’t been much of one in the first place.

* * *

_ Day 1: _

_ The team began the investigation for the rumoured “Kingdom of the Ocean” today. We have decided to start observing the water currents and tide changes, in order to pick out anything unusual. _

* * *

_ A clue already…?  _ He’d heard of the myth before, but most people just brushed it off as a way to explain the mysterious events that happened underwater...but he’d never expected a regular observatory like this to be working on such an obscure thing.

Now tense, he continued to flip through the journal.

* * *

_ Day 17: _

_ We have noticed that the deeper we seem to go, the stranger our readings are. The flow of the water does not correspond to the peaceful states that have been reported when we have sent divers down to check. Further investigation is required. _

* * *

There were a set of coordinates neatly printed to follow the entry, as if that was the spot where they had investigated at. Kaoru picked the journal up, as if he wanted to take it with him, but he decided otherwise and scribbled the information down in a notebook instead.

When he shut the book, he felt...sore. There was a rueful tingling at the back of his hand, like some supernatural entity was telling him that he was about to regret what he was about to do next.

And, as always, he ignored it.

That wa s all this room needed to offer him. It was the heart of the library, the  _ important  _ part of it, and he could just assume that the rest was information he’d read before.

He stepped out of the room, sighing in relief as a wave of warmth rushed over him, and as he’d seen others do before, he waved a hand over the panel, watching the door seal itself up like it’d never been there in the first place. The workings of the observatory would be something he wouldn’t ever come to understand, but as long as it worked in his favour, it would be something he didn’t need to care about.

The clock ticked away, hanging over him like some kind of primarch—only fifteen minutes had passed? That was a surprisingly short trip.

His notebook was safe in his bag, and he had enough food to last him for whatever trip he was about to make. Depending on what Eichi told Koga and Adonis, he’d have anywhere from a few days to a week do whatever he needed to do—the vague excuse of  _ checking something out by himself  _ wouldn’t cut it after that.

...if he needed any longer, it meant that Rei  _ would  _ come back, no matter what.

* * *

“Thanks for the ride. Couldn’t have gone this fast without you, buddy.”

The dolphin hummed as he got off her back. He’d learnt, in their half an hour together, that her name was Mary, and that her mother was friends with  _ his  _ mother, so...she’d offered to help out.

Mary squealed in response, bumping her nose against him before swimming off into the distance. She’d been a good dolphin...Kaoru smiled at that. He’d like to meet her again someday.

He felt his feet touch the ocean floor. It was cold and grimy, but somehow, he felt just as at home as he did when in UNDEAD’s base.

_ You know, for an underwater kingdom, it’s surprisingly easy to get there. _

He could see something in the distance, shimmering against the rest of the murky darkness around him, and if he wanted to jump to conclusions...that would be the Kingdom that the observatory had been looking for, right?

Kaoru frowned.  _ Why  _ had the divers been unable to find it? All it had taken was a little bit of effort, and some walking…

Well, he could ask these questions later. Hopefully.

For now, he had somewhere to go.

* * *

“For someone who talks so much, you’re proceeding surprisingly slowly with your plans.”

Rei observed as the man entered the room with a tray of food. Nothing fancy, just whatever was necessary to keep him alive, and he knew he wouldn’t be leaving until he finished everything on that plate.

He played with his spoon, scooping up a spoonful of rice and vegetables. “Do enlighten little old me. I must have forgotten...what was your goal keeping me here this long?”

“Keep quiet and eat your food,” came the cold response. “I have already explained it to you.  _ You,  _ Sakuma Rei, are little more than expendable livestock. After Hibiki Wataru, who’s daily location changes every week, and Shinkai Kanata, who has gone missing for years, you are the source of ancient magic that is easiest to grasp.”

“What a pity...so you’re only looking for  _ convenience…? _ ” Rei managed two mouthfuls before continuing. “A vampire like me isn’t the most powerful out there, if we’re talking about raw magic.”

The man checked over the systems keeping Rei’s magic in check. “We can make do, and that is good enough...It’ll just take a longer time. Besides, the kind of magic that you describe...we are not about to start on a hunt for one of seven individuals that are scattered across the globe.”

He chuckled at that, taking a sip of water—how rude, they wouldn’t even give him tomato juice. “That is certainly a shame. But you’ve been quite the respectable host...are you not going to drain me of my magic and use it for yourself?”

“Oh, that’s the end goal.” His captor faced him again. “However, we are not done with the spell, and need to perfect it still. We just decided to grab on to you while we could, so that you will be there when we need you to.”

“How selfish.” Rei sighed. “It’s dreadfully boring in here. Won’t you be a dear and keep me company for today…?”

“Absolutely not.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> new chapter...! pray for kaoru...i hope you enjoyed it, i'm really excited for what's going to come next :3c also...i love mary
> 
> find me on twitter @ikanyaide!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He admired Rei, and worked closely with him. They were partners in work, and they’d certainly gotten a lot closer over the past few years, but…
> 
> There was still a part of his mind that didn’t believe that this would actually work.

The Kingdom of the Ocean stood where the waters were deepest, where it was quietest; where it wouldn’t be disturbed by foolish people.

Even if one was smart enough to decipher their location, it was safe to say they still had more than one trick up their sleeve to keep themselves hidden.

And yet, a certain foolish person had arrived right at their gates, without any hint of a plan in mind and nothing to lose. This was either the peak of the best decisions he’s ever made, or the very opposite, but—why not?

Kaoru sighed, glancing at the row of guards standing outside the golden gates towards the sprawling underwater city. They didn’t seem to care about him much, and he wondered why; did they not see him or something? He could feel their eyes rest on him, though…

He raised his eyes to meet the gaze of one of the heavily-armored men, and all of a sudden, the atmosphere shifted.

Okay,  _ now  _ they definitely saw him.

The guards shifted to a much more alert position, and the one who he’d made eye contact with lifted his spear, voice harsh and icy as he spoke. “Name. Occupation. Motive.”

“Eh, um?” Wow, how straight to the point. “Kaoru Hakaze. Uh, I’m a mage on land and I’m part of a party called UNDEAD, and I had some questions that I needed to ask to whoever’s in charge…”

He tried to take a step forward, but that only resulted in the cold sensation of metal against his throat. “Humans are not able to see this place, so you are certainly something out of the ordinary. Tell me again: what do you want?”

“W~ow, you sure seem like you want me to say that I’m evil or something...except I’m not?” Kaoru wanted to follow with a quizzical tilt of his head, but he didn’t want to slice his throat on the guy’s sword by accident or something. “Anyway, I don’t know anything about this place, but I could see it fine, so…? I swear I just have a few questions for~ well, whoever your leader here is.”

“You dare disrespect His Majesty like that?” The guard glared sternly at him. “For your impudence, I ought to have you delivered straight to Him, so he can decide on your punishment for trespassing straight away.”

Kaoru did what he did best in sticky situations: talking. “Actually, seeing the King—uh, I’m  _ guessing  _ you’re referring to a King, right? —would be great. I’m just wondering if there’s a less gruesome way of doing that?”

The man didn’t seem moved by his answer in the slightest. “Or I could end your life here now, to prevent His Majesty from wasting his breath on someone who’s most likely a vile trickster.”

And, all too quickly, a speare was flying towards his chest, and the rest of the guards followed suit.

...He  _ really  _ didn’t want to solve this with violence.

If he fought back, he’d just be proving that he was out to harm them, right? But it felt kind of stupid to come all the way here just to die against someone who wasn’t even the final boss in a game, and he wasn’t in that kind of mood today.

His reflexes saved him, and the water around him seemed to be sucked into a vacuum in a split-second, hollowing out and condensing into a barrier that shivered at his fingertips and caused his opponent’s weapon to bounce off harmlessly.

He waited until the spear wasn’t anywhere near him to lower his shield, taking a deep breath as he faced the guard once more. “Well? Can we talk properly now?”

“Your hand...what is  _ that? _ ”

The guard seemed to be engrossed in something completely different now, and the change of topic took him by surprise...until he followed his stare and lifted his arm to look at it. 

Oh.  _ Oh.  _ He’d forgotten to mention that.

“Oh, I’ve always had it. It usually doesn’t show itself, though, so I wonder why it’s like this now?” He let the guard take a closer look at his hand. “I was told it had something to do with you guys once, but it slipped my mind when I started talking to you…I literally don’t know anything about what it is, though.”

The mark on the back of his palm was lit up in a brilliant blue now, illuminating a sigil that even he didn’t know the meaning behind, but it seemed to cause some ripple of quiet assent in the group of people that stood before him.

“We’re taking you to His Majesty,” the same guard that had tried to attack him grunted. “Don’t try anything funny.”

“That’s...a sudden attitude change~? I mean, if you say so. I’m not one turn that offer down.” Kaoru shrugged, his mind in autopilot mode. “Though, I don’t really know anything about this, uh...mark thing?  _ You  _ seem to know more about it than I d—”

He was silenced with a sharp prod to his side. “Keep walking and don’t dilly-dally.”

_ Wow, that sure explains things.  _ He kept the comment to himself, however, and obediently followed his escorts—as long as he was going to get to meet whoever this “His Majesty” was, then it wasn’t a problem, right? 

Shrugging to himself, he continued to walk.

* * *

He was marched past rows of grand-looking houses; buildings with twisted, curious structures far different from that of what he’d usually see on land, and into a palace that towered over everything else like a wise mentor watching over its charges.

Inside, the walls looked more like coral than anything, and they rippled ever-so-slightly every few seconds, as if the very material of the building had magic dancing down its core. 

But there was no time to be impressed; at least, that was what the guards thought. 

“Does His Majesty have an audience right now?” one of them asked in a harried voice, not waiting for a reply from the guard standing by a set of closed doors. “If so, cancel it. There’s a predicament we absolutely need his insight on.”

“No, there aren’t any appointments scheduled for the entirety of the evening…” The man froze as he caught sight of Kaoru, mark still burning cyan for every citizen of the Kingdom to see. “I see. Right this way.”

Just like that, the heavy-looking doors creaked and swung open, and he felt a hand shoving him into the room rather unceremoniously.

“My loyal knights.” 

The voice that spoke was loud,  _ booming,  _ but calm like the waves of the ocean on a good day. “Is there a reason you are here today without any notice? You look rather concerned.”

_ Oh _ . This must be the king, then.

Someone whispered at him to get down and kneel, and another guard pushed him onto the floor into some kind of awkward half-seiza position. He stayed there, unsure of what to do, and kept his head down.

“No, don’t waste any of that formality. It’s not needed.” The king spoke gently, but firmness laced his tone through and through. “Raise your heads, my knights...and the guest you have brought along as well. May I inquire who he is?”

One of the guards—the one who’d tried to attack him, maybe? —got to his feet and bowed in such a hurry that he was almost amused. “Allow me to explain, Your Majesty. This...this person was found trying to enter our gates, and claimed he had questions to ask you. He claims to be  _ human,  _ but no human would be able to simply spot our kingdom. And then, his hand shows…”

There was a moment of silence, and for a moment, Kaoru wondered if the mark meant anything  _ bad.  _ He had never known what it was for, exactly; he just had a vague memory of being told where he’d gotten it from.

Wait, what if it meant something  _ really  _ bad? Then, would he be sent straight to an untimely execution or something?

“I see.” The king sounded neutral, at least; deep in thought over what to say. “Young man, would you be so kind as to come here? I’d like to take a closer look at you.”

Not daring to glance around at the eyes on him, he shuffled a little forward, and a little more, until he arrived right in front of the king’s throne. There, he dared to make eye contact with the man, unsure of what he should do or even  _ say. _

“Yes...that mark. I remember it from years ago.” He took Kaoru’s hand in his own two, observing the sigil with deep interest. “When it had been bestowed upon you...of course. I was there that day, Hakaze Kaoru-kun.”

A number of questions ran through his head at record speed, but he froze, and said the first thing that came to mind. “How do you know my name?”

“You and I have met, albeit when you were very small. However, that is a conversation for another time…” The king trailed off, his eyes wistful. “It makes sense that you do not remember your earlier visit here. However, aside from that. I had not expected us to meet so soon, Kaoru-kun.”

“Well, I didn’t come here answers on my mark or anything...” Kaoru was sheepish as he answered. “I honestly came here to ask for your advice...I suspect that my friend’s been taken hostage somewhere in the ocean, but if you want to tell me some story about whatever this glowy thing is, I don’t mind.”

The man folded his arms. “I do not mind offering my assistance with that matter; the ocean is your partner, after all.” He had  _ no idea _ what he meant by that, but okay, whatever. “Allow me to explain. The mark on your hand is the Ocean’s Blessing, which, if you’d want to keep it short, places you under the protection of the sea.”

“ _ Huh.”  _ He was getting more and more lost, but it seemed like his mark was a good thing…? “And how exactly did I end up getting it?”

A tight-lipped smile. So it was a secret?

“I’m afraid I’m unable to tell you what transpired.” The king shook his head in response. “But I’d like for you to think of it as something that keeps you...safe, to say the least. From a number of things.”

_ Safe... _ he caught the drift this time.  _ That  _ was something he knew.

“Now that you’ve gotten the answer to that mark of yours…” He received a gentle smile, and the king let go of his hand. “You did want to consult me on a personal issue of yours, did you not?”

Kaoru nodded. “Yeah. I’m, er, part of a party back on land, and my leader—Sakuma Rei—has been missing for a bit more than a week, and the elite search parties there haven’t been able to come up with anything. I had a hunch that  _ maybe  _ he was being kept here, but I may be wrong…”

The more he talked, the more he felt bad. He came here on a  _ hunch?  _ This probably wasn’t very well thought-out at all, even for him.

“If you have a hunch concerning the ocean, I’d say you’d be right, more often than not. After all, its essence dwells inside you; the one who contains our blessing. And your leader...his name has come up in the kingdom before, but it hasn’t been recent. I’m afraid many places fly under our kingdom’s radar.”

He drooped at that. “I see. So that means you wouldn’t be able to help or anything?”

“Unfortunately, I can’t list or suggest areas that might have your friend, simply because I do not have the knowledge to. But what I can do is…” The king furrowed his brow in thought for a few seconds before rising from his seat. “Please follow me. Knights, please stay in this room.”

The two of them found themselves before a small room within the span of a few minutes, and the king pushed the door open, gesturing for him to follow.

“This is the Heart’s Leveller. It’s one of our royal treasures, crafted thousands of years ago by a famous inventor.” He watched as the man picked up the object in question from its velvet cushion, dangling it by its thin, golden chain as he let Kaoru have a look at the two rose-coloured pieces of quartz attached to it. 

He stayed quiet, and let the king continue. Where exactly was he getting at…?

“The twin pieces of crystals represents the hearts of two people, and the chain represents their link,” he recited. “It allows someone to link their heart with someone they have a strong connection with, and...to know the vague whereabouts of that person.”

At that, Kaoru lifted his head. “And you’re saying that you’re willing to lend it to me? But I wouldn’t even know if me and Sakuma-san are  _ close…” _

“I am more than willing to assist you. You are a child of the ocean, Kaoru-kun.” The king pressed the object into his hand. “And I will not judge your relationship, nor am I  _ able  _ to, but that is something you’ll have to test by yourself.”

He wasn’t entirely convinced by that, but he accepted the artifact. “I’ll try...thank you for trusting me with this, though. About how to use it…”

“Ah.” The king merely nodded. “You’d have to grab one of the crystals, and concentrate on the thought of the other person. I’ve never used this before, personally, but how it works is that it fills one crystal with your energy, and if your connection is strong enough, the other’s energy will be able to occupy the second.”

Kaoru was tempted to make a face at that—thinking about a guy with  _ that  _ amount of intensity? —but this wasn’t the situation to be like that. For all he knew, this was their only lead on being able to find Rei.

...would their “connection” be strong enough? He honestly didn’t know.

He admired Rei, and worked closely with him. They were partners in work, and they’d certainly gotten a lot  _ closer  _ over the past few years, but…

There was still a part of his mind that didn’t believe that this would actually work.

_ I don’t have the luxury of overthinking.  _ He held the first quartz in the way the king had demonstrated earlier, taking a deep, deep breath—

  
And he started to  _ think. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> updated ... ! this is the longest chapter yet, mostly because of all the,,, lore-dumping WHOOPS
> 
> though at the rate this is going...i might be able to finish this prelude thing within the next...1 or 2 chapters? wow. yells softly
> 
> as usual, you can yell at me on twitter @ikanyaide, and thank you for reading! i hope you enjoyed this chapter ! ;w;


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Please,_ he thought. _Let this be enough._
> 
> He paused for a moment before continuing.
> 
> _Tell me where Sakuma-san is._

He wasn’t sure what  _ exactly  _ he was supposed to do, but he was trying his best.

The king had said to think, hadn’t he…? So he was just standing in the middle of the room he’d gotten the Heart’s Leveller from, clutching the stone and closing his eyes, hoping he wasn’t doing anything that looked too stupid.

Think about Rei, huh? The notion didn’t make him very happy, but if it would help UNDEAD get its leader back, then whatever.

Besides, it wasn’t like he hated Rei. It was quite the opposite, in fact—he’d given Kaoru a home in UNDEAD when he felt like he didn’t belong anywhere else, and he’d relied on him more than he should have, honestly…

Wow, he really did owe Rei one.

They’d already known each other for a few years already, hadn’t they? All of UNDEAD had. 

Kaoru had never been  _ too  _ involved in the things they got up to, only playing around a little or reluctantly following along when there was a mission—he was the weak link in a sea of strong connections, getting as close to them as the breeze skimming over the sea’s surface. He  _ wanted  _ to be closer, but...he’d think about that when he’d found Rei.

Besides, he was fine staying like this. In a place of quiet, unspoken happiness, where it was okay just staying an arm’s length away; in a place where he was surprised that he would be okay with letting himself be pulled just a little closer.

No, Rei had already grabbed on to his hand. The rest of UNDEAD were already ready to drag him in by force, but they were waiting, weren’t they?

_ I probably shouldn’t think about this any more. _

His mind floated back to the topic at hand. If he was supposed to think about Rei, then...

_ Sakuma-san’s annoying, and he complains a lot, and he’s hard to take care of. He gets up to a lot of things without consulting us first, and expects us all to go along with it at a moment’s notice. Seriously, in some areas, he’s the worst… _

Kaoru stifled a laugh and shook his head.

_ But he’s our leader.  _

And that Rei was. He was always looking out for them, even if they didn’t know it—and he was self-sacrificial to a fault, in the most annoying ways. 

If he had to describe him in a word, it would be  _ kind. _

Unconsciously, he’d grabbed the artifact tighter, fingers squeezing the piece of quartz like it’d elicit a quicker response. It was still cold in his hands, but he continued to pray, like it was the only thing he could cling on to at this point.

_ Please,  _ he thought.  _ Let this be enough. _

He paused for a moment before continuing.

_ Tell me where Sakuma-san is. _

Kaoru didn’t know how long he waited. The seconds that passed seemed to drip out tantalizingly slow, like sand from a particularly stingy hourglass, and he closed his eyes, feeling the king’s gaze burning into him as he did so.

There was silence; overwhelming quiet that felt far too large for the tiny room they were standing in, and then—

Something  _ blazed  _ against the palm of his hand, and he almost dropped the crystal from how hot it was.

The king spoke up from where he was, pleased with the outcome. “Very good. It looks like the Heart’s Leveller has recognised the connection between the two of you.”

It was then that he dared to take a closer look. Both pieces of quartz were glowing now, pulsing with light that shone peach-coloured through the stone’s walls, and it took a few seconds for their patterns to sync with each other.

The longer he looked at it, the more he was sure he was going to be hypnotised.

“Do you have your answers now, Kaoru-kun?” the king asked again, voice gentle against the loud hum of the crystals he was holding. “I have never used it before, personally, but what you desire...it should be able to give you that, at the very least.”

“I…” Kaoru smiled a little—he  _ did,  _ in fact, know. “Yeah, I do.”

It was like an imprint of someone else’s shadow, seared right into the back of his mind. Where Rei was, what he was feeling; the atmosphere of wherever he was—all that and  _ more  _ was packed away tightly within the Heart’s Leveller.

_ Sakuma-san. You’re...apprehensive, but you’re doing this for our sake, huh? _

He gripped the stone tighter.

_ There you go again, doing things we never even asked you to do. _

Kaoru listened to what the crystals fed him as best as he can, trying to process the information shrouding him like a hazy cloud. He couldn’t get an exact grasp of the situation—he didn’t think the artifact worked that way—but he  _ could  _ figure out the gist of it from the bits and pieces of Rei’s thoughts that trickled through.

_ Geez, let someone help you out this once. _

The smile on his face must have fallen, because the older man by his side looked concerned. “Are you not happy…? Are there adverse side-effects that we did not know of?”

“Ah, nothing like that. This thing works, thanks a lot.” He bowed, remembering that this was the  _ king  _ of the ocean. “I was just thinking on how to get there~ sea’s a big place, don’t you think, Your Majesty?”

A lie, to someone who had been nothing but kind to him, no less. Kaoru was used to lying like that.

As if reprimanding him, the mark—blessing? —hurt even more now, like a searing-hot knife cutting into his skin, but he ignored it and continued to smile, just like how he was trying to ignore the thought that had just crossed his mind.

“Well, I’d be very happy to lend it to you for the duration of your quest.” The king seemed...satisfied by his answer, or at least—he didn’t press further. “I’ll get some guards to accompany you too, if…”

Kaoru cut him off before he could finish that sentence. 

“I’m fine by myself,” he said. “Trust me, I know what I’m doing~!”

And he meant what he was saying, in more ways than one.

* * *

Rei had a dream that night.

He was still underwater, but free from his restraints—and not in the artificially-lit basement of the enemy’s hideout. There was nothing but ocean and rocks all around him, and he couldn’t tell what was  _ supposed  _ to be going on.

Then—a sound. A tinny, filtered sound that seemed like someone was speaking through a can, so much so that he couldn’t recognise what it was at all, and it unnerved him more than anything.

It was the shadows that next alerted him. He was a creature of the night, after all; he could see how darkness slid over one of the rocks and  _ stopped  _ there, and he called out to it before the figure could move again.

Rei would have approached them too, but—he couldn’t for some reason. Wasn’t this a dream...wasn’t this  _ his  _ mind?

“You.” His voice was firm. “Who are you? What is all this?”

There was a moment of hesitation before the voice replied. “I’m...I'm nobody. This is...you can think of it as a dream…? Well, it's more like an event, but nothing’s happening to you in real time, don’t worry.”

That wasn't  _ enough  _ for him, so he pressed further. “And what’s your purpose?”

No response. His eyes narrowed, but the figure hiding behind the rock didn’t seem to be doing anything—it was evident from how the shadows stilled in thought, like they were trying to think of a way to answer that.

A pair of eyes trained their gaze on him, but when Rei looked over, he couldn’t see anything different about his companion.

Finally, they answered.

“Relax, relax. I already told you, this isn’t really about anything. Some foolish person somewhere just decided to try out something, and that something might have involved you...so maybe that foolish person knows what’s going on in your head right now?”

Rei folded his hands. “And what about that foolish person?”

“The foolish person is on your side.”

Even as the person said that, their voice still sounded far away, like they were an entire ocean’s worth away from him, and he didn’t like that at all.

It was as if he couldn’t pinpoint the true meaning behind those words. Rei was used to being able to analyse, to read the intentions of others before they even had a chance to react, but this felt like he was talking to his companion through a one-way mirror.

“Right. And if I were to trust you…” He hoped his voice was calmer than he was feeling. “What were you hoping to talk to me about? And would you care to reveal yourself?”

The shadow laughed—a painful, static noise—and the water rippled around them as they did so. “Sorry, no can do. You’ll know who I am soon.”

“Would you want to listen to a story?”

Before he could respond, the voice continued on, as if they were in a hurry—which was strange, because their tone remained calm. 

“Once upon a time, there were...a bunch of gods. I think…~? I’m not so sure about that, sorry.” There was another burst of nervous laughter. “Anyway, they had this whole bunch of magic that they were supposed to use to keep the world in check, but they  _ also  _ had like, zero responsibility and stuff.”

Despite the situation, Rei couldn’t help but quirk his lips up in an amused—albeit fond—smile. The speaker obviously didn’t have much experience with storytelling, that much was clear, but the relaxed atmosphere did lull him into a sense of familiarity.

He forced himself to laugh back. “Yes. And then?”

“And then, uhh…” The figure trailed off. “Okay, I’m not so sure how the next part goes, but I’ll try my best.”

Closing his eyes, Rei nodded. “Of course, of course.”

“Well, they didn’t want to shoulder the burden of all this alone. I guess it would be easier managing everything if they had more manpower?” The shadow sighed at that. “So they chose seven people to help them out a little.”

_ Seven people?  _ He straightened up again. Wait, he’d heard that number before, from—

“You can tell where this is going, can’t you? You’ve always been smart.”

“The seven people who act as the pillars of the world,” Rei recounted. “But they are only talked about in myths, are they not…? Even now, no one is sure that they actually exist. They’ve certainly never made an effort to step forward.”

His companion snorted. “What, and have the government all over them? That sounds terrible, you know. And who knows...maybe I’m just telling a fairytale to make you feel better, since you looked like you could use it.”

Rei tensed. “How would  _ you  _ know that?”

“A foolish person out there knows how you’re feeling. Remember?” There was a smile laced in those words, though he certainly couldn’t tell what sort of smile it was. “No point pretending you’re all calm and in control as usual when you aren’t...right now, at least.”

The voice was apologetic, somewhat, but more importantly—it was soothing. Like the running water of a stream on a warm day.

“Anyway, moving on,” they continued. “So, let’s theoretically say that there are seven people out there, and the gods gave them the power so they could push a little bit of that responsibility onto humans. Mm, that’s the kinda magic your captors are looking for, right?”

He narrowed his eyes at that. “How much do you know, exactly…?”

“It’s at the forefront of your mind, so your general situation—I have a rough idea of what’s going on over there.” The figure’s voice softened. “Okay, next question. If there was a possibility that your enemy found one of these seven people, and they let you be with your unit again by taking them instead, would you take that chance?”

“Of course n—”

A sigh. “I told you, you don’t have to pretend. You can be as selfish here as you want...well, I kind of already know you’re just trying to give the politically correct answer. I’m going to ask you one more time: If you had the chance to be set free, would you take it?”

Who was this person... ? Whoever they were, they were starting to get on Rei’s nerves.

But they had a point, and the more he thought about it...as terrible as it was, the temptation of being reunited with the rest of UNDEAD was—

Rei breathed.

“Yes, I would.”

He waited with bated breath for the other’s response, but they seemed to be considering his answer. The seconds that passed felt more like minutes;  _ hours,  _ and then— 

A soft, breathless hum broke the silence between them, and when the shadowy figure spoke up, there was satisfaction in their voice, and—something else that Rei couldn’t make out.

“Okay.”

And then the ocean flooded with light, and when he next blinked, it was daybreak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter will be the last chapter...!!! each chapter is hurting just a lil more than the last, or at least i hope so HAHAHAHA
> 
> as usual, you can find me on twitter @ikanyaide! i hope you enjoyed reading this!!!!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Sakuma-san.”_ Kaoru’s voice was gentle, just like everything else about him. “Please.”

At one point, the crystals had become unbearably hot, and he couldn’t hold on to them without flinching.

So Kaoru slung the chain around his neck instead—and thankfully the crystals were light enough, despite their appearance. They hadn’t stopped pulsing ever since he’d managed to activate them, and they seemed to grow warmer the closer he got to Rei.

...well, he  _ hoped  _ that’s what they meant, because he’d been using them as a guide to his destination based on how hard they were to touch.

How long had he been walking for, even? He’d set off the morning after he’d met with the king, and since he was underwater, he couldn’t really tell what time it was.

He could only make a rough estimate by the amount of light streaming down into the water, but even that wasn’t very effective—he was, after all, near the bottom of the ocean, and unlike the beautifully sunlit area that the Kingdom of the Ocean had been built in, the waters he stood in now were dim and gloomy.

Was it just him, or was it getting even darker? Maybe it was evening now, or something…

His mind wandered back to his two juniors back at the base. They were probably just sitting around, having a simple dinner or something—he trusted that Eichi had managed to convince them to continue working with him.

Besides, he trusted Adonis to stop Koga from going off by himself.

_ It’s okay,  _ he told himself.  _ You’re going to get Sakuma-san back soon, and then everything will go back to normal. _

A pause. With the half-baked plan that he wasn’t even confident of pulling off, would everything  _ really? _

_ I just want everyone to reach their happy ending. _

He was almost at wherever they were keeping Rei. The crystals shone brightly now, and warmth flooded through his palm when he tried to touch them to get a feel on how much further he needed to walk.

Hardly anything was around here anymore. The creatures were getting more and more grotesque the further he went, and one fish paused to glance at him in curiosity, a faint light bobbing from the growth on its head.

Kaoru forced a smile. “Hello.”

The fish stared for a moment longer before swimming away, and he sighed, watching it disappear into the depths of the ocean before continuing on his—depressingly lonely—journey.

If everything went according to plan, Rei would be back on land before the sun was up. Koga and Adonis would celebrate, and…

Kaoru smiled a little at that, though he didn’t know what kind of smile it was; what kind of expression he was making at that moment.

Then, he readjusted the makeshift necklace around his neck, and picked up his pace.

He didn’t have time to get distracted.

* * *

The hideout he found himself at was cold, and he was surprised at how clean and high-class everything was for somewhere buried at the very depths of the sea.

Was this where they were keeping Rei? The Heart’s Leveller certainly seemed to think so.

As soon as he stepped into the first room, the guards had caught sight of him, springing to action and charging at him with their weapons in hand. Really, he shouldn’t have been surprised, but he would have appreciated a warmer welcome...

“Intruder,  _ intruder!  _ Inform the higher-ups right away and—”

The man didn’t get a chance to complete his sentence before crumbling to the floor, unconscious.

Kaoru withdrew his hand, the blade of water falling back into a shapeless mass that waited to make its next move. “Out of my way.”

He tried to take the chance to run while the rest of his enemies were still in shock, but it seemed that they were more alert than he’d given them credit for.

“I told you,” he breathed, sending them crashing back into the walls with a shockwave of water. “I don’t have time for this. Out of my way.”

Kaoru was in the next room before they could try anything else.

Between trying to feel where the crystals were trying to take him and handling the guards that were so insistent in trying to stop him, he barely had time to think—and, as he took out yet another group of enemies, he was glad for the distraction.

It meant he wouldn’t falter, and run away just like he might have done in the past.

He wasn’t exactly trying to get anyone on his side this time, so he didn’t need to hold back with his attacks as much—and he was grateful for that. It made clearing the rooms much easier; he could fight instead of  _ negotiate  _ for once.

What about all the times he’d charmed his way out of sticky situations for UNDEAD? That was fun too, but—sometimes, words didn’t work as well on blockheads.

Sometimes, in emergencies, you had no choice but to fight.

Kaoru exhaled as he slammed another room’s door shut, taking a moment to catch his breath. He’d gotten pretty far in, and taken out more people than he could count— 

He dipped his head, and against his skin, the crystals felt cold.

* * *

“No, what do you  _ mean  _ some human broke into our base! We’re right at the bottom of the s—”

Rei straightened up in his seat, trying to listen in to the conversation taking place. His captor’s face was twisted in a grimace, which was unusual for someone who was so calm most of the time, and he grabbed onto the communication device with the strength of a lion.

“ _ Damn it!”  _ The man let out a few swear words of choice as the line cut off. “Don’t tell me we have to relocate.”

He offered a smile. “How unfortunate. I was enjoying my time here with you.”

His mind had already jumped to making strategies, calculating the number of chances he would get to escape—but then he remembered  _ why  _ he’d agreed to come along, and he quietened down.

“Don’t say bullshit like that,” his captor snapped. “We’re—”

“You’re not going anywhere,” a voice finished tersely, and it was  _ then  _ that Rei looked up.

The door had been forced open with a protesting creak, and he froze as the intruder’s eyes met his for a split-second, before—

Kaoru’s almond-hued gaze swept over him, and locked onto the man by his side, eyes far brighter than he last remembered it to be.

“Aren’t you that…” His captor squinted. “You’re from his unit, aren’t you?”

The blonde wasn’t smiling—and seeing him with a serious expression felt  _ wrong;  _ it was a side of him that Rei had hardly seen before. “Yeah, and what about that? Anyway, I’m here for him, if you’ll be so kind.”

“Are you crazy? You think you can just waltz in here and—I would think that one of the Three Eccentric’s friends would be smarter than that.”

“Oh, of course.” Kaoru laughed humorlessly at that. “Of course I know you won’t just give Sakuma-san back. I just need to ask a small question first, that’s all.”

Rei didn’t miss how he fiddled with his fingers behind his back as he spoke.

The man’s eyes narrowed. “And what is it?”

“Before I say anything, I just wanna say—I could bust the both of us out of here right now, but what good would  _ that  _ do? Knowing people like you, you’ll just come after us again and again— and knowing what Sakuma-san’s like, he’ll allow himself to get caught.” Kaoru shrugged as he spoke. “And now that I got  _ that _ off my chest~ you just need someone you can steal ancient magic from, right? It doesn’t have to be Sakuma-san.”

There was a beat of silence. “How do you know all this? No, who exactly  _ are _ you, in the first place?”

“Just—” The pressure in the room seemed to increase tenfold, and Rei could barely move his head with the crushing amount of magic in the air. “A member of UNDEAD.”

Kaoru raised his hand, and he stared at the sigil carved into it—except that cyan light seemed to be bleeding from the crevices now, and he could barely make out what it was supposed to look like in the first place.

“You’re...you’re one of  _ them.” _

“What, should I give you a prize for guessing something  _ that  _ obvious?” Kaoru was smiling now, but there was a steeliness in it that didn’t sit right with Rei. “Anyway~ Sakuma-san.”

Rei didn’t say anything, but it seemed like Kaoru didn’t expect him to speak either—the blonde rubbed his fingers against the gold chain of the strange-looking necklace he was wearing, and faced him, expression still unreadable.   
  


Then, Kaoru just laughed, soft and breathless.

“Sakuma-san,” he said, and the next words caused him to grab on to his seat, because he’d heard  _ those words  _ the night before.

“Say, if you had the chance to be set free without any repercussions, would you take it?”

“Kaoru-kun.” Those words, those were the only things running through his mind as he tried to reply, but he couldn’t help but freeze up as he remembered his answer. “Kaoru-kun, you don’t mean—”

And just like the last breeze of summer fading off into the next season, Kaoru wasn’t looking at him anymore—was it because he  _ couldn’t  _ look at him, or because he was brushing this entire situation off as trivial?

Rei didn’t know which made his heart clench more.

“I’m offering you a deal,” Kaoru spoke, facing his captor once again. “As the holder of the primal element, Water, I’ll stay here with you if you let Sakuma-san go,  _ and  _ if you never bother UNDEAD—no, anyone at Yumenosaki—again.”

Wait a minute.

_ No. _

“Kaoru-kun, don’t joke around.” Rei’s voice was quiet, and he pleaded for the blonde to look back at him, but Kaoru never did. “You should just leave—”

The third person in the room spoke. “You’re such a foolish person, but...I can’t deny the benefits of that. I accept.”

“Really? Good for the both of us, then, but release Sakuma-san first.”

There was only a moment of hesitation before the bonds that had been holding him hostage clicked open, and he was shoved to the ground rather unceremoniously. “That’s done.”

“Ah, great. I guess I need to show that I’m trustworthy too, right…? See, I caused a lot of trouble when I was young, so they had to put this thing on me, apparently. It blocks off most of the  _ primal  _ part of my magic, but—” 

Kaoru put his other hand to the back of his palm and concentrated, and a few seconds later—there was a hissing sound, and the mark had disappeared.

“ _ Now  _ you can take my magic.” His voice dropped a little. “Man, having the King teach me how to do that while pretending I wasn’t up to anything suspicious was a pain in the ass.”

“Excellent, I didn’t care about any of that.” His captor started towards Kaoru, and on instinct, Rei moved to pull him away, glaring at his friend and hoping that he would  _ listen  _ this time. “Well, he’s free to leave now.”

“ _ What  _ kind of rash decisions are you making?” Rei snapped. “Look, let’s just leave and—”

He paused as he felt something cold sling around his neck, and he realized that it was the item that Kaoru had been wearing earlier.

“That’s awfully big of you to say, considering you pulled the same trick and ditched us all. Corgi and Adonis-kun have been  _ worried,  _ you know.” Kaoru gripped his shoulders, refusing to look Rei in the eye. “I’ll be fine, Sakuma-san, but the kids need their leader. You admitted it too, right? That you wanted to go back.”

“I didn’t—”

  
“You  _ meant  _ it. You just didn’t know the full story, but you want to see the kids—UNDEAD—again. You’ve always been closer to the two of them, anyway...they’d be better off with you looking after them.”

The words  _ you’re a part of UNDEAD too  _ never left Rei’s lips.

“So let me do this, okay? You don’t have to keep protecting us like that.” Ah,  _ now  _ they were looking at each other properly, but Rei didn’t want to have to look at how Kaoru was  _ trying  _ so hard to pretend he was fine with everything.

“ _ Sakuma-san.”  _ Kaoru’s voice was gentle, just like everything else about him. “Please.”

When Rei didn’t— _ couldn’t— _ respond, the blonde bit his lip, and pushed him back.

And the next thing he knew, he was dissolving, fading into bubbles that had been instructed to carry him  _ away. _

“I’ve always—”

The rest of Kaoru’s words were drowned out.

* * *

When Rei woke up, he found himself sprawled on the damp sand of an island he’d never been to, the night sky stretching out above him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's...it's over!!! until i have enough energy to start on the main story...otsukare to myself ;^D
> 
> i am So Sorry i swear i love you kaoru hakaze i care you So Damn Much but sometimes you must...suffer
> 
> anyway, i hope you've had as much fun reading this as i had writing this!!! there are still a few gaps between what happens here and what's going on in the main, current plot, but they'll hopefully be explained later on c:
> 
> please do tell me what you think of this! i'm more happy that i managed to finish something more than anything else HAHA
> 
> feel free to yell at me on @ikanyaide too! stan kaoru and stan reikao!!

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you're enjoying this!
> 
> find me on twitter @ikanyaide ~
> 
> carrd: https://kingdomoftheocean.carrd.co/


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